Hannah checker advice

[Dr.DiSilicate]

What's the difference between the low range and high range phosphate checker. I want to start to monitor my phosphate in a more real way but not sure which checker to get.

 

[High Plains Reefer]

you want the low range it reads to a lower level

 

[Highway66]

you want the low range it reads to a lower level

I bought the phosphorus Ultra low range. You might want to google the reasoning behind phosphorus vs phosphate, before you buy.

 

[High Plains Reefer]

great just bought a new phosphate yesterday and it looks like i really should have gotten a phosphorus

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=atyGl8MVuz8 found this video on you tube. I think I'll get the ultra low range phosphorus checker.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Thanks all! Just ordered the ultra low range. $42.50 shipped Amazon.

 

[jda123]

Get a bunch of packets too... it only comes with a few.

They can be tricky to test with at first. You need to make sure that the vials are TOTALLY clean after you add the water and packet to them - spots will send the results all over the place. I use both of the vials - one for tank water and one with the powder in it that has mixed for 3-5 minutes. I run them 4 or 5 times and take the average reading. Mine typically goes something like this, for example: 12, 8, 12, 13 and then maybe 10. ...so I call that 10 or 11.

1 or 2 is NSW at .005, BTW. I am happy at 2 or 3.

 

[High Plains Reefer]

Jda, what do you use to clean your vials?

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

So it looks like I'm at about 8 PPB. I need to get it down a bit more. Seems like about triple what it should be.

 

[jda123]

Watch the coralline growth and calcification explode when you do get it down. Probably a good idea to have the alk at/near NSW levels too.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Watch the coralline growth and calcification explode when you do get it down. Probably a good idea to have the alk at/near NSW levels too.

Alk is about 8 so that's good. My assumption was that I had phosphate issues as I have algae on the glass quickly and some cyano on the sand. Coral color has gotten better with the use of GFO. I would imagine that the levels have come down in the past month. I was dosing carbon and that worked but was expensive in the form I was using. The goal would be to get the tank to take care of itself but the dry rock is taking longer than I care to wait. I now know I can use a bit more GFO without worry. Coralline algae has taken off in the past 2 weeks. Getting hard to keep off the glass.

 

[dracus]

BRS released this video today about how to read and maintain Hannah testers. Might give you some good pointers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2P6iiBsB6E